Isles-class trawler
# Isles-class trawler

The Isles-class trawlers were a class of naval trawler used by the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

The type comprised 197 vessels built between 1939 and 1945 in the nearly identical Isles, Dance, Tree and Shakespearian classes. Generally similar to the Castle-class trawlers of 1916–1918, though somewhat larger, they were mainly used on minesweeping and harbour defence duties. Most were armed with one 12-pounder gun (76 mm) and three or four 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns with 30 depth charges. In the Dance class a 4-inch AA gun (102 mm) was fitted in place of the 12 pdr, and there were six 20 mm Oerlikons in Annet, Bressay, Damsay, Fiaray, Foulness and Lindisfarne. Four of the trawlers were given "bird" names when converted to controlled minelayers in 1943–44: Blackbird (M15), Dabchick (M22), Stonechat (M25) and Whitethroat (M03). A total of 23 of these trawlers were lost during the war. Six trawlers were loaned to Canada in 1942-45 and five to Norway in 1943–45.

Postwar, 17 of the trawlers were disarmed as wreck disposal vessels: Bardsey (DV13), Bern (DV4), Caldy (DV5) Coll (DV6), Earraid (DV7), Fetlar (DV8), Flatholm (DV9), Graemsay (DV10), Lindisfarne (DV11), Lundy (DV12), Neave (DV14), Scalpay (DV15), Skomer (DV16), Steepholm (DV17), Switha (DV18), Tiree (DV19), and Trondra (DV20). At least five were employed as danlayers (laying and retrieving dan buoys during minesweeping operations): Imersay (J422), Sandray (J424), Shillay (J426), Sursay (J427) and Tocogay (J451). After decommissioning, Switha and Coll were converted to oil tank cleaning vessels for dockyard service in 1949–50.

By 1949 there remained in service of this type 31 trawlers and four controlled minelayers in the Royal Navy, one controlled minelayer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and four trawlers in the Royal New Zealand Navy. An additional 16 were in service in the Italian Navy and six in the Portuguese Navy. Most of the surviving Royal Navy examples were discarded in the 1950s, but a few remained until the 1960s. Two acquired postwar by the Federal German Navy remained in service as training vessels well into the 1970s, with one, Trave (ex-Dochet), resold to Turkey for further service in 1977.

## Builders

* Ardrossan Dockyard Company, Ardrossan, UK
* George Brown & Company (Marine) Ltd., Greenock, UK
* Cochrane & Sons, Ltd., Selby, UK
* Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
* Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, UK
* John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland, UK
* G.T. Davie & Sons, Lauzon, Quebec, Canada
* Ferguson Bros. Ltd., Port Glasgow, UK
* Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley, UK
* Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Company, Goole, UK
* Alexander Hall & Company, Aberdeen, UK
* Hall, Russell & Company, Aberdeen, UK
* A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, UK
* Kingston Shipyards, Kingston, Ontario
* John Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen, UK
* Midland Shipyards, Midland, Ontario, Canada
* Henry Robb Ltd., Leith, UK
* Smiths Dock Company Ltd., South Bank-on-Tees, UK

## Ships in class

### Royal Navy

Construction data for Isles-class trawlers of the Royal Navy :

| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned/​Completed | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ailsa Craig | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 October 1943 | 24 December 1943 | Sold 1946 and renamed Veslemoy. Renamed Toran in 1952. Lost 19 February 1955. |
| Annet | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 25 March 1943 | 19 June 1943 | Became a Wreck disposal vessel in 1946. Still in use as diving Vessel for clearance diving in 1953. Sold 1957. Became fishery protection vessel FPV Ulva for Fishery Board for Scotland in 1958. Withdrawn from use 1971 and scrapped 1972. |
| Arran | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 November 1940 | 1 May 1941 | Sold 1946 and renamed Assan Reis. Renamed Professor Henking 1952. |
| Balta | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 2 December 1940 | 19 May 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Bardsey | Fleming & Ferguson | | 17 July 1943 | 15 September 1943 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV13) |
| Benbecula | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 28 October 1943 | 13 January 1944 | Sold 1946, bought by HM Customs and Excise and served as HMRC Vigilant |
| Bern | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 2 May 1942 | 9 October 1942 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV4) |
| Biggal | Ferguson Bros. | | 4 December 1944 | | Sold 1946 |
| Blackbird (ex-Sheppey) | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 20 February 1943 | | Converted to controlled minelayer (M15) 1943: still in service 1949 |
| Bressay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 20 January 1942 | 10 May 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Brora | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 18 December 1940 | 11 June 1941 | Grounded off Hebrides 6 September 1941 |
| Bruray | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 May 1942 | 1 December 1942 | Transferred to Portugal 1943 as Sam Miguel (P1) |
| Bryher | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 8 April 1943 | 20 July 1943 | Still in service 1949 |
| Burra | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 29 March 1941 | 18 July 1941 | Transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 301 |
| Bute | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 12 May 1941 | 15 September 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Caldy | John Lewis & Sons | | 31 August 1943 | 14 December 1943 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV5) |
| Campobello | Collingwood Shipyards | | 19 June 1942 | | War loss 16 Mar 1943. |
| Copinsay | Cochrane & Sons | | 12 April 1940 | 25 April 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Crowlin | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 15 November 1943 | 28 January 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Cumbrae | Cochrane & Sons | | 20 December 1940 | 17 May 1941 | To Italy 1946 as DR 302 |
| Damsay | George Brown & Co. | | 27 June 1942 | 3 September 1942 | Still in service 1949 |
| Dochet | G.T. Davie & Sons | | 26 June 1942 | 13 November 1942 | Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Trave (A51) as a Type 139 patrol trawler; sold to Turkey in 1977 |
| Earraid (ex-Gruna) | John Crown & Sons | | 18 December 1941 | 11 May 1942 | Later wreck disposal vessel (DV7); sold 1948 |
| Eday | Cochrane & Sons | | 26 June 1941 | 22 November 1941 | Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (i) 1943–44; sold into mercantile use 1946 |
| Egilsay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 7 February 1942 | 28 May 1943 | To Italy 1946 as DR 306 |
| Ensay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 5 March 1942 | 15 June 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 314 |
| Eriskay | Fleming & Ferguson | | 28 August 1942 | 28 October 1942 | To Portugal 1943 as P8 |
| Fara | Cochrane & Sons | | 27 January 1941 | 28 June 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Farne | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 22 April 1943 | 31 August 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Fetlar | Cochrane & Sons | | 10 July 1941 | 13 December 1941 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV8) |
| Fiaray | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 13 June 1942 | 27 September 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Filla | John Crown & Sons | | 2 April 1942 | 28 August 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 305 |
| Flatholm | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 8 May 1943 | 20 August 1943 | Later wreck disposal vessel (DV9); sold 1948 |
| Flint | G.T. Davie & Sons | | 14 July 1942 | 13 November 1942 | Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Eider (A50) as a Type 139 patrol trawler |
| Flotta | Cochrane & Sons | | 13 February 1941 | 7 June 1941 | Grounded off East Scotland 6 Nov 1941. |
| Foula | Cochrane & Sons | | 28 July 1941 | 3 January 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 313 |
| Foulness | John Lewis & Sons | | 23 March 1942 | 30 June 1943 | Still in service 1949 |
| Fuday | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 1 January 1944 | 24 March 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Gairsay | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 28 May 1942 | 2 September 1943 | War loss 4 Aug 1944. |
| Ganilly | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 22 May 1943 | | War loss 5 July 1944 |
| Gateshead | G.T. Davie & Sons | | 1 August 1942 | 11 May 1943 | Sold 1947 |
| Gillstone | Cochrane & Sons | | 19 July 1943 | 13 November 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Gorregan | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 30 December 1943 | 16 June 1944 | Still in service 1949 |
| Graemsay | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 3 August 1942 | 16 June 1943 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV10) |
| Grain | Cochrane & Sons | | 17 August 1943 | 16 November 1943 | To Italy 1946 as DR 309 |
| Grassholm | John Lewis & Sons | | 20 April 1943 | 17 August 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Gruinard | John Crown & Sons | | 20 November 1943 | 1 March 1943 | To Portugal 1943 as P7 |
| Gulland | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | 30 April 1943 | 5 August 1943 | 30 October 1943 | Sold to mercantile use 1946; renamed Henken 1947 and Arab Trader 1949; wrecked north of Mombasa 13 April 1951. Boiler and wreckage still on reef. |
| Gweal (ex-Boreray) | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 17 June 1943 | 3 November 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Hannaray | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 12 February 1944 | 3 May 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Harris | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 29 January 1944 | 12 April 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Hascosay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 28 March 1944 | 26 May 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Hayling | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 17 August 1942 | | To Portugal 1943 as Terceira (P3) |
| Hellisay | Cochrane & Sons | | 27 March 1944 | 17 July 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Hermetray | Cochrane & Sons | | 11 April 1944 | 22 August 1944 | Sold 1947 |
| Herschell | G.T. Davie & Sons | | 5 November 1942 | 29 May 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Hildasay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 29 April 1941 | 30 September 1941 | Grounded on Diani reef south of Mombasa, Kenya on 21 Jun 1945. Broke up during the next three months. Boiler visible at low tide. |
| Hoxa | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 15 January 1941 | 18 July 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Hoy | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 1 February 1941 | 10 July 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Hunda | Ferguson Bros. | | 4 February 1942 | 31 March 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Imersay | Cochrane & Sons | | 21 August 1944 | 8 December 1944 | Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J422) |
| Inchcolm | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 3 March 1941 | 25 July 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Inchmarnock | John Lewis & Sons | | 25 August 1941 | 28 November 1941 | Loaned to Norway as Karmöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946 |
| Islay | Smith's Dock Co. | | 10 April 1941 | 17 June 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Jura | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 22 November 1941 | | War loss 7 Jan 1943 |
| Kerrera | Ferguson Bros. | | 22 September 1941 | 31 October 1941 | Loaned to Norway as Oksöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946 |
| Kintyre | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 21 October 1941 | 24 April 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Kittern | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 28 August 1943 | 13 November 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Lindisfarne | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 17 June 1943 | 17 August 1943 | Still in service as wreck disposal vessel (DV11) |
| Lingay | Cochrane & Sons | | 6 September 1944 | 6 January 1945 | Sold 1946 |
| Longa | Cochrane & Sons | | 15 October 1943 | 13 February 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Lundy | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 29 August 1942 | 15 January 1943 | Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV12) |
| Mewstone | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 September 1943 | 26 November 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Minalto | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 3 July 1943 | 30 September 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Mincarlo | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 28 March 1944 | 24 October 1944 | Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (ii) 1944–45, sold mercantile 1946 |
| Mousa | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 1 June 1942 | 30 August 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 311 |
| Mull | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 27 March 1941 | 19 August 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Neave | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 July 1942 | 25 November 1942 | Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV14) |
| Orfasy | A. Hall & Co. | | 17 March 1942 | | War loss 22 October 1943 |
| Oronsay | Cochrane & Sons | | 30 October 1943 | 16 February 1944 | Still in service 1949 |
| Oxna | A. & J. Inglis | | 26 January 1943 | 18 July 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Pladda | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 April 1941 | 19 August 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Porcher | Midland Shipyards | | 26 May 1942 | 27 October 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Prospect | Midland Shipyards | | 16 June 1942 | 4 November 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Ronaldsay | Cochrane & Sons | | 14 February 1941 | 17 July 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Rosevean | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 17 July 1943 | 16 October 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Rousay | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 20 December 1941 | 17 April 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Ruskholm | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 4 February 1942 | 10 May 1942 | To Portugal 1945 as Baldaque da Silva |
| Rysa | Cochrane & Sons | | 15 March 1941 | 9 August 1941 | War loss 8 Dec 1943 |
| Scalpay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 2 June 1942 | 20 October 1941 | Later wreck disposal vessel (DV15); sold 1948 |
| Shapinsay | Cochrane & Sons | | 29 March 1941 | 5 September 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Shiant | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 9 August 1941 | 24 November 1941 | Loaned to Norway as Jelöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946 |
| Skokholm | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 29 September 1943 | 10 December 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| Skomer | John Lewis & Sons | | 17 June 1943 | 4 November 1943 | Still in service 1949 |
| Skye | Henry Robb | | 17 March 1942 | 22 July 1942 | Still in service 1949 |
| Sluna | Cochrane & Sons | | 14 April 1941 | 10 October 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| St. Agnes | John Lewis & Sons | | 19 May 1943 | 21 September 1943 | Sold 1946 |
| St. Kilda | A. Hall & Co. | | 29 May 1942 | 30 September 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Staffa | Henry Robb | | 15 June 1942 | 31 August 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Steepholm | John Lewis & Sons | | 15 July 1943 | 1 December 1943 | Converted to wreck disposal vessel December 1945. Still in use as the last of 18 wreck disposal vessels in 1958. |
| Stroma | Hall, Russell & Co. | | 19 November 1941 | 22 January 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 315 |
| Stronsay | A. & J. Inglis | | 4 March 1942 | | War loss 5 Feb 1943 |
| Switha | A. & J. Inglis | | 3 April 1942 | 15 June 1942 | Later wreck disposal vessel (DV18); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50 |
| Texada | Midland Shipyards | | 27 July 1942 | 17 November 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Tiree | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | | 6 September 1941 | 12 January 1942 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV19) |
| Trondra | John Lewis & Sons | | 4 October 1941 | 16 January 1942 | Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV20) |
| Ulva | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 30 July 1942 | 15 December 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Unst | Ferguson Bros. | | 28 May 1942 | 31 July 1942 | To Italy 1946 as DR 303 |
| Vatersay | Cochrane | | 13 November 1943 | 9 March 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Wallasea | Henry Robb | | 22 April 1943 | 26 July 1943 | War loss 6 Jan 1944. |
| Westray | John Lewis & Sons | | 4 November 1941 | 2 March 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Whalsay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 4 April 1942 | 28 August 1942 | To Portugal 1943 as Santa Maria (P4) |

The following 21 trawlers may be described as comprising the Repeat Isles class:

Construction data for Repeat Isles–class trawlers of the Royal Navy :

| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned/​Completed | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Calvay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 29 November 1943 | 16 February 1944 | Sold 1946 |
| Canna | Cochrane & Sons | | 18 November 1940 | 3 March 1941 | War loss 5 December 1942 |
| Cava | Fleming & Ferguson | | 3 March 1941 | 3 March 1941 | Sold 1946 |
| Coll | Ardrossan Dockyard Co. | | 7 April 1942 | 21 September 1942 | Later wreck disposal vessel (DV6); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50 |
| Colsay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 15 December 1943 | | war loss 1944 |
| Dabchick (ex-Thorney) | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 9 March 1943 | | converted 1943 to controlled minelayer (M22); still in service 1949 |
| Orsay | Cochrane & Sons | | 1 January 1945 | | still in service 1949 |
| Rona | Cochrane & Sons | | February 1945 | | still in service 1949 |
| Sandray | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 5 October 1944 | 27 December 1944 | Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J424) |
| Scaravay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 22 October 1944 | 14 January 1945 | Sold 1946 |
| Sheppey (ex-Raasay) | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 1 April 1942 | 18 September 1942 | Sold 1946 |
| Shillay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 18 November 1944 | 30 January 1945 | Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J426) |
| Stonechat | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 22 August 1944 | | 1944 as controlled minelayer (M25); still in service 1949 |
| Sursay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 16 December 1944 | 26 February 1945 | Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J427) |
| Tahay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | 31 December 1944 | 23 March 1945 | | Still in service 1949 |
| Tocogay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 7 February 1945 | | still in service 1949 as danlayer (J451) |
| Trodday | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 3 March 1945 | | still in service 1949 |
| Vaceasay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 17 March 1945 | | still in service 1949 |
| Vallay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 10 April 1945 | | still in service 1949 |
| Whitethroat | Welton & Gemmell | | 6 September 1944 | 1944 | 1944 as controlled minelayer (M03); still in service 1949 |
| Wiay | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | | 26 April 1944 | | still in service 1949 |

### Royal Canadian Navy

Construction data for Isles–class trawlers of the Royal Canadian Navy :

| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Anticosti | Collingwood Shipyards | | 1 April 1942 | 8 August 1942 | | Sold 1946 to Norway as Guloy, to Sweden as Barbro and to Ethiopia as Giuseppina in 1968. Wrecked in Massawa in 1996. |
| Baffin | Collingwood Shipyards | 14 October 1941 | 13 April 1942 | 20 August 1942 | 20 Aug 1945 | Sold mercantile 1947; renamed Niedermehnen 1952, Broken up 1983. |
| Cailiff | Collingwood Shipyards | | 30 April 1942 | 19 September 1942 | 10 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Cailiff (T276). Sold mercantile 1946; converted to Norwegian commercial trawler Borgenes. Laid up in 1990s, but proposals to restore her as a steam trawler were unfulfilled. Sold for demolition in Oct 2012 |
| Ironbound | Kingston Shipyards | | 14 January 1942 | 5 October 1942 | | Sold 1946 |
| Liscomb | Kingston Shipyards | | 23 March 1942 | 3 September 1942 | | Sold 1946 |
| Magdalen | Midland Shipyards | | 7 March 1942 | 19 August 1942 | | Sold 1946 |
| Manitoulin | Midland Shipyards | | 23 April 1942 | 8 September 1942 | | Sold 1946 |
| Miscou | Collingwood Shipyards | | 1 June 1942 | 20 October 1942 | | Later HMS Campenia and HMS Bowell. Lent to RCN by RN. Sold to Bergen as Cleveland, 1946; to Nordlandslinjen and renamed Sigurd Hund, 1950; to Ålesund and renamed Vestfar, 1963; to Hans Hansen in 1971 to Faroe Islands. Broken up in 1974. |

### Royal New Zealand Navy

Construction data for Isles–class trawlers of the Royal New Zealand Navy :

| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comm. | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Inchkeith | John Lewis & Sons | 16 November 1940 | 10 July 1941 | 24 October 1941 | Still in service 1949 |
| Killegray | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | 24 January 1941 | 27 May 1941 | 14 October 1941 | Still in service 1949 |
| Sanda | Goole S.B. & R. Co. | 23 December 1940 | 12 July 1941 | 3 November 1941 | Still in service 1949 |
| Scarba | Cook, Welton & Gemmell | 6 March 1941 | 25 November 1941 | 25 June 1941 | Still in service 1949 |
